Some argue tat most major conflicts are triggered by internal, elite-level activities. At the same time peace processes are often elite-driven with a relatively small number of people responsible for making final decisions. The following analysis examines different attempts in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country to contribute sustainably to a peace process on a political elite-level. It will be shown that the success of leadership and political risk-taking by elites is highly dependent on the circumstances. It will be shown that courageous elite decisions are doomed to have little effect if basic requirements are lacking. Simultaneously, even if the preconditions seem to be appropriate peace processes can fail due to a lack of commitment on the side of political leaders.
The conflicts in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country show – up to a certain extent – notable similarities in their initial situations. In both cases nationalist movements tried/try to alter the state of autonomy in one part of the country. Both conflicts led to cruel violence and left numerous civilians dead. Both conflicts took and take politically place within the particular province and between the province and the federal government of the nation state (Spain/United Kingdom and Ireland). The nationalist movements in both cases are divided between a radical party (Batasuna/Sinn Fein) and a more moderate one (PNV/SDLP). These similarities compose a good starting point for a comparative analysis.
Regarding the generalizability of the findings, two central restrictions must be made. First the small number of cases (only two) discussed in this paper limit the possibility to draw universal conclusions. In statistical terms the extent of the sample is insufficient to make a valid statement about the relation of the variables „leadership and political risk taking‟ and „development or outcome of a peace process‟. Another crucial point is that the variables in the two cases are not perfectly independent from each other as political decisions made in Northern Ireland are thought to have had an influence on the political sphere and thus on the peace process in general in the Basque Country.
At a glance
- Grade: 1.0 (1.0 is the best grade)
- Compares two cases while addressing their limited independence
- Examines the Lizarra declaration alongside the Good Friday Agreement
- 21 sources in the bibliography
Contents
1. The Northern Ireland conflict
2. The Basque conflict
3. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This comparative analysis examines how political leadership and elite risk-taking contribute to peace processes in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country. It asks how leaders’ choices interact with the conditions and support needed to advance a political settlement.
- Leadership and political risk-taking in protracted conflicts
- Relations between political elites and their supporters
- Inclusive and exclusive approaches to negotiation
- Nationalist movements and relations with central governments
- Ceasefires, political dialogue and changes in leadership
- Opportunities and limitations of comparing two cases
Excerpt from the Book
The Basque conflict
The Basques people are spread over seven provinces in Spain and France. The Basque conflict can be described as a nationalist struggle based on ethnicity which is particularly vital – and violent – in the Spanish autonomous community Basque Country (Euskadi). Nationalists in the Basque Country are claiming the right for self-determination and sovereignty in contrast to the Spanish government, which is reluctant to grant the Basques sovereignty. Attacks executed by the separatist terrorist group ETA, which have yet left more than 800 dead, are the violent excesses of the conflict. When the Basque provinces, Álava, Guipúzcoa and Vizcaya were incorporated in the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Spain, respectively, they enjoyed distinct legal codes and autonomous political institutions. In the 19th century however, the Basque provinces felt more and more constrained by increased liberal centralism in Spain and supported the Carlists in the Spanish Civil Wars. The Carlists were defeated and the onset of the industrial revolution made for mass migrations of Spaniards to the Basque Country. This led to the founding of the Basque Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Vasco–Euzko Alderdi Jetzalea, PNV-EAJ) in 1895, which was claiming independence for the Basque Country. During the Franco dictatorship in Spain (1939-1975) the Basque country suffered ferocious oppression, e.g. the prohibition of the Basque language in all public areas, causing an even greater awareness of their ethnic heritage. The „Franquismo‟ bound the Basque people together more tightly as a political force and paved the way for autonomist and nationalist movements. The idea of armed resistance was born in the 1950s, when the hopes of a prompt demise of the Franco regime were dashed and frustration and despair spread out. In 1959 the ETA (Euskadi Ta Atasuna = Basque Country and Freedom) was founded, originating primarily from youth movements that voiced more radical claims towards Basque independence than the NPV, which was at that time conducting an exile government of the Basque Country in France. During the transition period following Franco‟s death in 1975 the Basque Country was described as being like a “pressure cooker” about to explode after all the years the expression of dissent has been suppressed so sharply.
Chapter Summaries
The Northern Ireland conflict: This chapter traces political leadership and negotiation initiatives from the partition of Ireland through the Sunningdale and Anglo-Irish agreements to the Hume-Adams dialogue. It considers the roles of public support, inclusion and political risk in efforts to establish a settlement.
The Basque conflict: This chapter outlines the background to Basque nationalism and examines the Lizarra declaration and subsequent peace initiatives. It considers the choices and political risks faced by Basque nationalist parties, ETA and successive Spanish governments.
Conclusion: The conclusion compares leadership decisions and peace efforts across the two conflicts. It discusses the importance of reciprocal risk-taking, supportive conditions and changes in leadership.
Keywords
political leadership, political risk-taking, peace processes, Northern Ireland, Basque Country, comparative analysis, conflict resolution, political elites, nationalism, negotiation, ceasefires, Lizarra declaration, Hume-Adams process
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the work about?
It compares the roles of political leadership and risk-taking in peace efforts in Northern Ireland and the Basque Country.
What are its central themes?
Its themes include elite decision-making, nationalist movements, negotiation, public support, ceasefires and the conditions for political settlements.
What is the main objective of the analysis?
The analysis seeks to understand how leadership and political risk-taking interact with circumstances that can enable or constrain a peace process.
What research method does the author use?
The author uses a comparative analysis of two conflicts, drawing on published scholarship and documentary sources. The introduction acknowledges that the small number of cases and their limited independence constrain generalization.
What does the main body examine?
It examines the histories of both conflicts and selected peace initiatives, paying particular attention to leaders’ decisions and the political conditions surrounding them.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include political leadership, political risk-taking, peace processes, comparative analysis, nationalism, negotiation and conflict resolution.
How does the analysis discuss the Hume-Adams dialogue?
It examines talks between John Hume and Gerry Adams as an effort to bridge divisions within nationalism and create a basis for a broader peace process.
What role does the Lizarra declaration play in the Basque case?
The work examines the 1998 declaration as an initiative involving Basque nationalist parties and other groups, and considers its references to the Northern Ireland peace process.
How are changes in Spanish leadership considered?
The analysis contrasts the approaches of the Aznar and Zapatero governments to dialogue with ETA and the political risks associated with negotiations.
- Quote paper
- Stefan Vedder (Author), 2010, Leadership and Political Risk Taking - A comparative Analysis between Northern Ireland and the Basque Country, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/155834
